esotericism

noun
UK: /ˌiː.səˈter.ɪ.sɪ.zəm/
US: /ˌiː.soʊ.təˈrɪ.sɪ.zəm/

  1. A belief in or knowledge of things that are mysterious and secret and that only a few people understand.

    1. Esotericism was popular in some circles in the 19th century.
    2. The author explores esotericism and symbolism within ancient cultures in his new book.

  2. The quality of being understandable by only a small number of people with special knowledge or interest.

    1. The esotericism of the scientific paper made it difficult for the general public to understand.
    2. Some accuse modern art of esotericism, arguing it's deliberately obscure and elitist with its esotericism.

Synonyms

obscurity mysticism occultism

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "esotericism" in English means: A belief in or knowledge of things that are mysterious and secret and that only a few people understand., The quality of being understandable by only a small number of people with special knowledge or interest..

The phonetic transcription of "esotericism" is /ˌiː.səˈter.ɪ.sɪ.zəm/ in British English and /ˌiː.soʊ.təˈrɪ.sɪ.zəm/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "esotericism": obscurity, mysticism, occultism.

Example usage of "esotericism": "Esotericism was popular in some circles in the 19th century.". More examples on the page.